The Line Becomes a River: Dispatches from the Border

by Francisco Cantú

But José’s situation is not unique. There are thousands of people just like him, thousands of cases, thousands of families. Millions, actually—the whole idea of it is suffocating.

we learn violence by watching others, by seeing it enshrined in institutions. Then, even without choosing it, it becomes normal to us, it even becomes part of who we are.

In this way, the U.S. is making criminals out of those who could become its very best citizens.

In this sense, the true crisis at the border is not one of surging crossings or growing criminality, but of our own increasing disregard for human life.

the privileged are as diffuse and unaccountable as the downtrodden are indistinct and unnamable.